Covid-19 today has caused a paradigm shift in the way in which education is imparted to students. Here, Hybrid Learning (a.k.a Blended Learning) could potentially offer a solution for students to maintain continuity in education. With Hybrid Learning mechanisms being an amalgamation of both online as well as on-site learning modules, educators and students could still ensure continuity in education in the new normal.

Ensuring that the formative years of students are constant

With various leading educational institutions and universities in India having adapted hybrid learning (blended learning modules), students still get to experience their formative on-campus years while getting to attend regular classroom sessions remotely. The best illustration at this juncture is the laboratory sessions that are conducted on campus whereas theory classes are conducted online through various platforms.

At CMR University, blended learning modules are deployed to ensure that both students and teachers perfectly synchronize on and off campus to maintain continuity in academics. At the University, on-campus sessions are conducted in strict adherence to Covid-safety protocols

Online classes for students are also held with focus on individual mentoring of students. Another advantage in the blended learning scenario is the fact that social distancing measures could be implemented effectively. Universities and institutions could decide the number of students to be present physically at any given point in time. 

Interdisciplinary collaborations Made Effective

Hybrid Learning naturally stimulates interdisciplinary learning. In fact, CMR University has a dedicated Makerspace for engineering and architecture students where students from across departments collaborate and develop/improvise real-world projects. Through hybrid learning modules, inter-department/inter-branch collaboration can be effectively achieved and thereby newer innovation could potentially come to the fore. Most of the time, these innovations are society-changers as well.

Will Hybrid Learning be the future?

With governments across the world imposing lockdowns and social restrictions, the student community has been the most affected; in this scenario, leading educators have started to believe that hybrid learning is the way out and the new normal. However, students in the rural and tier-2/tier-3 economies have been facing technical challenges such as accessing internet and mobile networks to stay connected online. Hence, this aspect needs serious discussion and appropriate policies. 

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Posted by cmradmin

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